Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils

At A Glance

Field: Detail
Home village: Chassagne-Montrachet
Main grapes: Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir
Signature wine: Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos Saint Jean Blanc
Range: Chassagne-Montrachet, Bourgogne Aligoté and Crémant de Bourgogne
Defining feature: Family estate bottling and named vineyard parcels

The Producer

Flavie and Arsène Amiot pioneered estate bottling through their Parisian clientele. Under Arsène, Domaine Amiot became one of Burgundy's first domaines to bottle its own production. Arsène founded the domaine at Chassagne-Montrachet in 1920 and acquired holdings in Vergers, Caillerets, Clos Saint Jean and land now classified as Le Montrachet.

Thierry devotes himself to the vineyard and winemaking, while Fabrice develops the business in France and abroad. White wines are crushed and fermented in French oak barrels, with 30% new oak. Bâtonnage and natural malolactic fermentation follow at 13 to 14°C. Bâtonnage stirs the lees, the spent yeast cells, back into the wine and can build texture. Malolactic fermentation softens acidity and can add dairy notes.

Place

Chassagne-Montrachet is the domaine's home village in the Côte de Beaune. Vineyards also lie in Puligny, Saint-Aubin and Santenay, so the domaine works across several neighbouring village appellations.

Clos Saint Jean carries Premier Cru status, a classified vineyard level within Chassagne-Montrachet. The range also includes Bourgogne Aligoté and Crémant de Bourgogne, placing named Chassagne vineyards alongside a regional white appellation and a sparkling Burgundy appellation.

Wines

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos Saint Jean Blanc is 2021 Chardonnay from a 0.2462 hectare northeast facing parcel of clay and limestone planted with 25 year old vines. The wine is richly textured and vibrantly acidic, with citrus, almond and mineral flavours. Its ideal drinking window is 5 to 8 years, with ageing potential of 10 years, subject to transport and storage.

Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes Blanc is 2023 Chardonnay from about twelve lower slope parcels totaling 1.50 hectares. The vines are stated to be 50 years old. The wine shows ripe orchard fruit, white flowers, hazelnut, honey and wet stone, followed by golden apple, citrus, toasted almond, vibrant acidity and chalky minerality.

The 2022 Bourgogne Aligoté Les Grands Champs comes from a single 1.03 hectare, south facing clay and limestone parcel. Its ideal drinking window is 2 to 3 years, with ageing potential of 5 years, subject to transport and storage.

Crémant de Bourgogne is a white sparkling wine made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligoté. Primary fermentation takes place in temperature controlled vats at 20°C, followed by secondary fermentation in bottle and maturation in a cellar at 15°C.

Final Word

Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils farms across Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny, Saint-Aubin and Santenay, with bottles that move from Premier Cru Chardonnay parcels to Bourgogne Aligoté and traditional-method Crémant de Bourgogne.

At A Glance

The Producer

Place

Wines

Final Word

Sources

Where to go next